Bike: Hakkalugi
At 6:30pm the night before, I took the ferry from Orient Point to New London, then drove another two hours up to Concord, arriving around 10pm. It had rained quite a bit, and I’d been watching the forecast closely all week. At times it looked promising, other times not so much. with projected rainfall totals hovering around 0.75–1” for the day. I tried to stay optimistic, and was fully committed.
I managed about four hours of sleep before checking out, grabbing a coffee and doughnut, and arriving at the start just before 4:30am. 14 other riders showed up. Jake went over the route, signed us in, and sent us off promptly at 5am.
At first it was only misting, which felt like a relief, but that quickly changed. Rain continued with varying intensity through the first half of the day.
About 40 miles in, I was completely drenched. Temperatures were in the low 40s, and my thin gloves and short bibs proved insufficient. My hands became cold enough that shifting started to get difficult as my fingers gradually went numb. I tried the classic produce bag between wool socks trick, but it only trapped water and made things worse. Around this point the group had spread out considerably, and everyone settled into their own ride.
At roughly mile 42 there was a control at Tweedo’s, which I completely spaced on and rode right past, overshooting it by about two miles. Once I realized what I’d done, I turned around, added a little bonus climbing, and finally met Bill, the volunteer at the control. He said he’d watched me cruise by and wondered if I’d come back.
I refilled my bottles, got my card signed, and chatted for a few minutes. He also helped me open a pack of foot warmers that my cold, wet hands couldn’t manage. I stuffed them into my shoes and kept moving.
The rain continued as the route transitioned onto slightly busier roads. Eventually I found myself riding alongside another cyclist, Steve, during a long climb. He was taking a detour while out on another group ride. We talked a bit about where we lived, the strange pleasure of riding while completely soaked, and some favorite places to ride. That brief conversation helped more than expected, it distracted me from how miserable I was beginning to feel.
Eventually I made it to the Mimi’s control and checked in with Jake, who informed me that Mimi’s had closed after the town’s pumping station lost power during the storm. The coffee and breakfast sandwich I’d been thinking about for the previous ten miles would have to wait. Instead, I inhaled some pop tarts, refilled my bottles, and pressed on.
Those foot warmers never activated, likely rendered useless immediately by the waterlogged shoes.
The rain continued, and after standing around at Mimi’s for ten minutes I got especially cold. It took a little while to find enjoyment in the ride again, but eventually my mood lifted, especially once I reached the Quabbin Reservoir area. I’d only ridden out there once before, about three years ago while circumnavigating the reservoir, and I’d been looking forward to returning.
At mile 88 there was a control at the Quabbin Enfield Overlook. By then the rain had finally stopped, giving me a chance to take what turned out to be my first and last photos of the ride. I climbed onto a fence post and tried to capture as much of the reservoir and surrounding landscape as possible, essentially recreating a photo I’d taken the last time I was there.
By this point I was starving and still hadn’t managed to get that coffee I missed back at Tweedo’s. I finally corrected that at a Dunkin’ in Palmer. There I was also able to remove my rain jacket and begin drying out my inner layers. A steady breeze helped, and by the next control I was almost completely dry except for my shoes and socks.
There was a long drawn out climb before the following control, with rough pavement and trucks flying by. Near the top, a friendly walker who had also just climbed the hill exchanged a few encouraging words with me.
At mile 119 was the next control in Holland, near a ballfield. I had some pickles and a PB&J, chatted with Jake and another rider for a bit, and finally swapped out my completely soaked socks for a fresh pair I’d packed. By then the sky had begun to clear. The sun was finally out, though the wind remained strong.
From there, the ride became significantly more enjoyable.
I eventually caught another rider and followed his pace for a while, using him as a beacon through the next stretch. We rolled into the next control around mile 150, a gas station in Rutland. Unsure whether we’d stopped at the correct place, we both dismounted and introduced ourselves.
I refilled my bottles, bought some snacks, and picked up a pair of $1.99 brown work gloves since my hands still weren’t feeling great. We rolled out together, but I was feeling energized again and started pushing the descents, carrying momentum into the climbs as best I could.
After a stretch on busier roads, the route returned to quieter backroads for most of the remaining miles. The final leg was peaceful and mostly quiet. The sun was shining brightly, and for the first time all day I felt genuinely comfortable. It looked like I’d finish with plenty of daylight remaining.
Eventually I rolled back into the Residence Inn in Concord, where the crew had set up a table with food and cold drinks. Jake signed my card while I sat down for about 15 minutes to decompress and figure out the best strategy for getting home and finding something decent to eat.
I grabbed a fajita platter afterward and ultimately had to drive all the way around the Long Island Sound as the last ferry would’ve been cutting it too close.
All in all, it was a blast.
I ended up riding just under 192 miles with over 12,000 feet of climbing. A little farther than planned thanks to missing Tweedo’s and a few detours along the way. I love exploring Massachusetts, and look forward to coming back.
Here is the route.
